US San Diego: Spoiler Alert - Stories Are Not Spoiled by 'Spoilers'

[gortiz]

I've been doing way too much "snooping" around the internet as I wrap up the last season of Breaking Bad. 

 

PLEASE DON'T TALK SPOILERS!

 

I might have come across a few snippets that "spoil" some huge story lines and even the end ... right now I feel a little crappy that I might have an idea what happens. 

 

Came across this study and i found the results pretty interesting ... what do you all think? Valid, or BS? Anybody ever had the ending of a something told to them and it did not affect how they enjoyed the rest?? Did it affect your enjoyment?? 

 

Many of us go to extraordinary lengths to avoid learning the endings of stories we have yet to read or see – plugging our ears, for example, and loudly repeating “la-la-la-la,” when discussion threatens to reveal the outcome. Of book and movie critics, we demand they not give away any plot twists or, at least, oblige with a clearly labeled “spoiler alert.” We get angry with friends who slip up and spill a fictional secret.

 

But we’re wrong and wasting our time, suggests a new experimental study from the University of California, San Diego. People who flip to the last page of a book before starting it have the better intuition. Spoilers don’t spoil stories. Contrary to popular wisdom, they actually seem to enhance enjoyment.  http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/archive/newsrel/soc/2011_08spoilers.asp

 

 

 

[elkabong82]

From personal experience, this is wrong. I found out about the Red Wedding in GoT before the episode aired and it definitely made it much, much less impactful. 

[AsburySkinsFan]

It's absurd to think that a spoiler doesn't ruin an ending, case in point "The Sixth Sense". Say what you will about it now, but when it was first released the whole movie depends upon not knowing one crucial piece of information and the entire movie would be spoiled with a spoiler.

[Predicto]

I'm not sure about books, but if you ever spoil "Psycho," "The Usual Suspects" or "Diabolique" or "The Sting" for someone who is about to watch them for the first time, you deserve a punch in the snout.

[Bliz]

So obviously wrong it's laughable. There is tremendous enjoyment in the surprise reveal and having that spoiled sucks.  Worst ever for me were Usual Suspects and that major character who died in Harry Potter (and who killed him).  Absolutely lessens the impact of the moment, as Elkabong said

There is also enjoyment to be had in reading/watching a second time and catching the subtle clues. That may be part of why people liked spoiled versions better, because it makes you feel smart when you see the subtle glance, or understand the double-meaning in the dialogue.